Rack for billiard cues



Oct. 5, 1965 J. M. FARRELL 3,209,918

RACK FOR BILLIARD CUES Filed Jan. 50, 1964 Fig./ 2T

U 7 w D /4 /6 r /A 30 I I a0 Joseph M Farrell 1 N VEN TOR.

United States Patent 3,209,918 RACK FOR BILLIARD CUES Joseph M. Farrell, 615 N. Bridge St., Wetumpka, Ala. Filed Jan. 30, 1964, Ser. No. 341,171 2 Claims. (Cl. 211-68) The present invention relates to a rack having means thereon whereby one or more billiard or pool cues may be stored and maintained in an out-of-the-way but readyto-use position when they are not being used.

Persons conversant with the art to which the present invention relates are aware that wherever pool tables are customarily used (poolrooms, home recreation rooms and the like) one will also find a rack of one type or another wherein pool sticks or cues are systematically racked for ready use. As a matter of fact the rack ordinarily employed comprises a rectangular or an equivalent board or panel which is mounted vertically on the room Wall and is provided on the available face thereof with means of one type or another for systematically racking the cues.

It is an object of the present invention to structurally, functionally and in other ways improve upon prior art cue racks and, in doing so, to provide a highly satisfactory structural adaptation which will satisfy the manufacturing economies and practices of manufacturers, will.appeal to and be endorsed by retailers of poolroom equipment and appliances, and will be capable of reliable and gratify ing use by pool players who are called upon to rely upon perfectly straight cues when playing a game of pool.

Briefly the present invention comprises support means, preferably a rectangular or an equivalent wallboard or panel and wherein the same is provided with at least one scabbard-like sheath. This sheath, usually a suitably elongated conical holder, functions as a receiver into which the leading end and median portions of the cue stick is properly sheathed and accordingly stabilized to minimize the likelihood of this vulnerable portion of the stick from warping or being distorted.

Stated otherwise, the present invention is characterized by a wall panel whose front side or surface is provided with a battery of Warp-resisting and self-shape-sustaining receivers. These receivers are defined and accordingly provided by the socket portions of elongated rigid conical holders which are arranged side-by-side and are mounted on the lower part of the front side of the panel or equivalent support means.

In carrying out a preferred embodiment of the invention the panel is provided at the bottom or front side with a horizontally disposed elongated rail. Above the rail the panel is provided with an outstanding strip member having holes therein. The conical receivers are oriented and positioned between the strip member and rail, respectively, and are secured properly in position. To the ends desired the lower smaller end of the socket member is open and is anchored on a fixed ledge. The upper end is fitted into a hole provided therefor in the strip member and is flared to provide a bell month which assists in piloting the tip of the one stick into the socket where it is secured firmly but removably.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a view in front elevation of a rack for billiard cues constructed in accordance with the invention and how it is constructed and the manner in which cues or sticks are supported for use; and

FIGURE 2 is a section on the plane of the vertical section line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

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It is within the purview of the invention to employ warp-resisting shape-sustaining sockets or holders which vary in cross-sectional dimension in keping with the evervarying sizes( length and transverse cross-section) of billiard cues or, as they are alternatively called, pool sticks. Inasmuch, however, as matters of size, minor variations and materials are not too significant in respect to the herein disclosed concept it will be understood that the support means is denoted generally by the numeral 4 and comprises, as suggested, a rectangular panel which is structurally designed and functionally adapted to be nailed or otherwise secured to and supported on a room wall or an equivalent support surface. The numeral 6 designates the upper flat half-portion of the front surface while the numeral 8 designates the lower half-portion. Extending transversely across the mid-portion of the panel, that is, the front surface thereof, is a relatively narrow strip member 10. This member is fixed along an inner longitudinal edge and projects at right angles the desired distance as illustrated in particular in FIG. 2. The strip member is provided at longitudinally spaced points with cue stick holes or openings one of which is denoted at 12 in FIG. 2. An elongated angle member 14, commensurate in length with the length of the strip member 10, is also fixed along its attachable edge, as at 16, to the front surface with the bottom of the depending flange thereof flush with the lower edge of the panel as at 18 (FIG. 2). The upper horizontal flange 19 provides a planar surface 20 which is at right angles to the surface 8 of the panel and provides a. horizontal ledge, the latter having apertures or holes 21 therein.

It is obvious that the cues or pool sticks A are conventional. Accordingly, each-cue comprises the usual tapering leading end or tip portion B, median or mid-portion C and butt or handle portion D. Experience has shown that by straightening and keeping straight the portion ranging from about B to C, the stick can usually be maintained in its desired linearly true and straight condition.

The holders or receivers are cooperable with the area 8 and span the space between the ledge 20 and flangelike strip member 10.

Inasmuch as the holders are basically the same each holder is designated as a structural entity by the numeral 22. The holder comprises a suitably elongated socket member the lower end of which is open and referred to as the distal end 24 and the upper end portion as the proximal end 26. The over-all length is such that the socket member completely spans the space between the rail or ledge 20 and flange-like strip member 10. The distal end 24 is suitably secured atop the ledge as denoted generally at 28 in FIG. 2. In this connection it should be noted that the distal ends 24 are intentionally open and register with drain holes or apertures 21 to minimize the likelihood of dirt and extraneous matter accumulating and undesirablTlodging itself at the bottom. The upper intake end portion is fitted through the hole or opening 12 provided therefor in the strip member 10 where it is then flared outwardly to provide a bell-mouth 30 which, obviously, facilitates piloting the small end of the cue or stick into the receiver or socket provided by the conical holder. When the intended portions B and C of the one are seated in the socket member it will be obvious that the socket member then becomes a sort of a shielding scabbard and protectively shields the portion of the stick which is telescopingly fitted therein.

The manner in which the apertured strip member 10 is spaced above and parallel to the ledge surface 20, and the manner in which the selectively usable elongated conical receivers are supported therebetween and parallel to the panel surface 8 is believed to be clear from the views of the drawing. Particularly, FIG. 2 brings out the fact that these conical members or receivers 22 are spaced from the surface 8 so that there will be adequate clearance between the upper surface 6 and the handle portions of the cues A to facilitate inserting and removing the cues. Therefore, a more extended description is thought to be unnecessary.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes Will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of invention as claimed.

I claim:

1. Means for protectively storing a billiard cue when either temporarily set aside or when it is not intended to be used comprising: a vertically elongated rigid panel having front and rear flat faces, a vertically disposed elongated rigid member right angular in cross-section and having an upper horizontal flange disposed at right angles to the front face of the lower portion of said panel and having an edge secured to said front face and providing a longitudinal ledge, and a complemental depending apronlike flange spaced from and parallel with the lower portion of said front face and having a lower edge substantially flush with a corresponding lower edge of said panel, said horizontal flange having an aperture therein providing a vent, a relatively narrow horizontally disposed strip member having an inner longitudinal edge portion contacting a median part of the front face of said panel and secured thereto, said strip member being disposed in a plane at right angles to the plane of said front face, said strip member being spaced a predetermined vertical distance above and being parallel with said horizontal flange, and a rigid one piece vertically elongated conical socket member spanning the space between said flange and strip member, respectively, said socket member having a lower unobstructedly open end aligned with said aperture and aflixed atop said horizontal flange, said strip member being provided with a cue stick opening oriented and in alignment with said aperture, the upper end portion of said socket member increasing upwardly in cross-sectional dimension and being flared outwardly and providing an open bell mouth portion, said upper end portion aligned with and fitted into and encompassed by said cue stick opening and being readily accessible to the user when inserting the insertable tip portion of a cue.

2. Means for protectively storing a billiard one when not being used comprising a vertically elongated flatfaced rigid panel having front and rear flat surfaces and adapted to be fixed in a vertically usable position on a stationary supporting wall, a relatively narrow strip member having an inner longitudinal edge portion contacting a median part of the front face of said panel and secured thereto with the strip member disposed horizontally in a plane at right angles to the plane of said front face, said strip member being provided at longitudinally spaced points with individual sheath-accommodating openings, a horizontally elongated flange having an inward longitudinal edge portion abutting and fixed to said front face of said panel adjacent but above a lower end portion of the panel, said flange being provided with a plurality of individual apertures oriented and aligned with the openings in said strip member, said flange being disposed in a plane below and parallel to the plane of the strip member and providing a stationary ledge, and a plurality of warp resisting self-shape-sustaining vertically elongated socket members each constituting a sheath for an insertable and removable portion of the cue, each socket member completely spanning the space between the flange and strip member, respectively, and having its upper and lower edge portions open and aflixed in alignment to a coacting opening in the strip member and a coordinating aperture in said flange, respectively.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,416,617 5/22 Cua 211-68 2,028,337 1/36 Lane 21163 3,164,185 1/65 Ingoldt l1.5

CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner.

FRANK L. ABBOTT, Examiner. 

1. MEANS FOR PROTECTIVELY STORING A BILLIARD CUE WHEN EITHER TEMPORARILY SET ASIDE OR WHEN IT IS NOT INTENDED TO BE USED COMPRISING: A VERTICALLY ELONGATED RIGID PANEL HAVING FRONT AND REAR FLAT FACES, A VERTICALLY DISPOSED ELONGATED RIGID MEMBER RIGHT ANGULAR IN CROSS-SECTION AND HAVING AN UPPER HORIZONTAL FLANGE DISPOSED AT RIGHT ANGLES TO THE FRONT FACE OF THE LOWER PORTION OF SAID PANEL AND HAVING AN EDGE SECURED TO SAID FRONT FACE AND PROVIDING A LONGITUDINAL LEDGE, AND A COMPLEMENTAL DEPENDING APRONLIKE FLANGE SPACED FROM AND PARALLEL WITH THE LOWER PORTION OF SAID FRONT FACE AND HAVING A LOWER EDGE SUBSTANTIALLY FLUSH WITH A CORRESPONDING LOWER EDGE OF SAID PANEL, SAID HORIZONTAL FLANGE HAVING AN APERTURE THEREIN PROVIDING A VENT, A RELATIVELY NARROW HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED STRIP MEMBER HAVING AN INNER LONGITUDINAL EDGE PORTION CONTACTING A MEDIAN PART OF THE FRONT FACE OF SAID PANEL AND SECURED THERETO, SAID STRIP MEMBER BEING DISPOSED IN A PLANE AT RIGHT ANGLES TO THE PLANE OF SAID FRONT FACE, SAID STRIP MEMBER BEING SPACED A PREDETERMINED VERTICAL DISTANCE ABOVE AND BEING PARALLEL WITH SAID HORIZONTAL FLANGE, AND A RIGID ONE PIECE VERTICALLY ELONGATED CONICAL SOCKET MEMBER SPANNING THE SPACE BETWEEN SAID FLANGE AND STRIP MEMBER SPANNING THE SPACE BETWEEN SAID FLANGE AND LOWER UNOBSTRUCTEDLY OPEN END ALIGNED WITH SAID APERTURE AND AFFIXED ATOP SAID HORIZONTAL FLANGE, SAID STRIP MEMBER BEING PROVIDED WITH A CUE STICK OPENING ORIENTED AND IN ALIGNMENT WITH SAID APERTURE, THE UPPER END PORTION OF SAID SOCKET MEMBER INCREASING UPWARDLY IN CROSS-SECTIONAL DIMENSION AND BEING FLARED OUTWARDLY AND PROVIDING AN OPEN BELL MOUTH PORTION, SAID UPPER END PORTION ALIGNED WITH AND FITTED INTO AND ENCOMPASSED BY SAID CUE STICK OPENING AND BEING READILY ACCESSIBLE TO THE USER WHEN INSERTING THE INSERTABLE TIP PORTION OF A CUE. 